


Better Than Dead

by Brate



Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Sickfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-08
Updated: 2013-06-08
Packaged: 2017-12-14 07:32:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,463
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/834308
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Brate/pseuds/Brate
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jack isn't having much of a day.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Better Than Dead

Jack O'Neill didn't bother lifting his head from the floor when he heard his office door open. 

"He's not in here, either," Sam Carter said.

There was a deep murmur in response.

"Not for hours," she said.

Jack closed his eyes, too tired to say anything, to calm their worry.

The door closed with a quiet _snick_. He'd just rest for a few minutes, then he'd tell his team he was fine. 

The next thing he knew, an alarm blared and Jack jerked awake, wincing at the sharp pain behind his eyes. He levered himself up, leaning heavily on his desk, before he stumbled to the door.

Jack pulled it open and was nearly run over as an SF rushed past. He caught himself against the door jamb and forced laboring lungs to breathe slowly, willing his heart to stop racing. As soon as he knew he wasn't going to collapse, Jack walked as quickly as he could to the control room.

It was pure chaos. The kind that comes when their world was being threatened with annihilation. Hammond was barking orders, Sam was huddled over the computer, typing furiously, Daniel was on the phone with someone—"Did you check the garage?"—and Teal'c was in a corner, frowning.

Jack cleared his throat. "What's going on?"

The room quieted instantly and everyone turned to face him.

The next few minutes were hazy. All Jack remembered was everyone rushing at him and talking at once. Finally, one soft voice broke through the bedlam. "Where have you been?" Daniel asked.

"In my office," Jack answered easily. "What's the big deal?"

"The big deal?" Daniel laughed harshly.

Hammond called off "the search," then said, "Take care of him," to Daniel, and walked out of the room, a trail of soldiers following him like puppies.

Now Jack was really confused. "Seriously, do we need to be kicking some alien ass or something?" He waved at Teal'c, wishing the room would stop flickering. "No offense, T." 

"None taken, O'Neill." It must've been true, because the large man caught him before he hit the ground.

****

Jack woke to the smell of antiseptic and the sound of metallic instruments clinking. He was in the infirmary. But why? He tried opening his eyes, and discovered it was a lot harder than it should be.

His movements must have been less subtle than he'd thought, because Jack heard footsteps coming toward him. He pondered playing possum, but his curiosity got the better of him.

Finding the energy to open his eyes, he was surprised to see Daniel, not Janet, standing by his side. His friend had an odd combination of relief and irritation splashed across his features. Jack was irrationally angry with who or what had put that look on Daniel's face.

Jack tried to talk, but all he could manage was a strangled croak. Daniel reached next the bed and brought out a glass of water. He set the straw between Jack's lips, and Jack drank gratefully.

Once he'd had his fill, Daniel took it away and Jack asked, "Wha' 'appened?"

Uh-oh. Daniel's face lost the relief and was now showing full-on annoyance. "What happened?" he asked with a snarl. "What happened?!"

"Yes..." Jack certainly didn't squeak. It was more a high-pitched whisper.

Daniel stepped back and crossed his arms over his chest. "You were walking around with a fever of 104!"

That didn't sound right. Jack never got sick. "Are you sure?"

"Am I—am I sure?" Daniel growled. He drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Okay, because I'm assuming the high fever managed to give you mild brain damage, I'll let that pass without a hard smack. But..." His eyes drilled into Jack's. "...you ever do something like that again, I'll have Teal'c take you to the gym and beat you senseless."

"T wouldn't do that."

"He would if I told him it was an Earth-based warrior custom, and it would be an insult to your standing if he didn't."

Jack paused. "Damn, that _would_ work."

"So, where were you?" Daniel asked.

"I was tired. I just took a little nap behind my desk." As a matter of fact, Jack still felt tired. Actually, he felt weak all over. That was weird.

"You weren't tired, you were sick," Daniel informed him, the _you moron_ unstated but implied, "and your 'nap' lasted about fifteen hours." 

"Huh?" No way had he been out that long.

"We searched the base for you...twice. We even sent a team to your house." Daniel took off his glasses and cleaned them with his t-shirt. "No one knew what had happened to you. We finally raised the alarm. That's when you stumbled into the control room and collapsed."

Oops. Now that he was more aware, Jack could clearly read the underlying worry in Daniel's actions.

"Sorry."

"Well, like I said, you were probably crazier than normal with the fever." Daniel slumped in the chair next to Jack's bed. "I guess I can forgive you."

Even though Daniel was obviously joking, it still loosened the knot in Jack's belly. 

"So when can I break outta here?" Jack asked. 

Daniel sighed. "What day is it?" he asked softly.

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"Just answer the question."

"Fine. Wednesday."

"It's Friday."

Jack tried to keep his mouth from dropping open. He wasn't sure if he was entirely successful. "Friday?" he asked weakly.

Daniel nodded.

"But it was just a cold!" Jack protested.

"The IVs and antibiotics they had to pump into you would disagree."

Jack looked to his left, finally noticing the line tied to his arm and disappearing behind him. Huh. Two days. That would explain how utterly craptastic he felt. "So, I'm probably not getting out soon?"

"You'll be lucky if Janet lets you out by Monday."

"What?!" No way was he being stuck here for that long. He'd have to stage a breakout.

"And don't bother trying to break out; you'll just fall flat on your face and it'll be embarrassing when Janet ties you to the bed."

Jack was about to defend himself when he was derailed by a new steel-lined voice.

"Nice to see you back with us. Colonel."

He did not jump. He did not flinch. He was a soldier, for God's sake. "Dr. Fraiser, always a pleasure." 

Her look didn't waver...nor did it warm. It was her "I can't believe you were so stupid" look. Damn.

Fraiser checked his IV and vitals in absolute silence. Jack could feel Daniel's smugness, but refused to acknowledge his presence since Daniel was letting Jack tread in the shark-infested waters of Janet's wrath.

Jack figured he'd better sink or swim, not float like chum. "Daniel said I've been here for a while?" he remarked, trying for an inflection of innocence.

"Did he now?" Janet's eyebrow raised and she looked over Jack to Daniel. 

Daniel cleared his throat, rose to his feet, and backed away, motioning rapidly. "I was trying to convey the seriousness of the situation."

"Were you now?"

Jack swallowed his smile. He'd gotten a reprieve and he didn't want to draw unwanted attention. Let Daniel fend for himself. But Janet quickly switched her steely gaze back to Jack. Damn it.

"Why didn't you come see me when you started feeling unwell?" she asked.

"I guess I didn't notice I was that bad off. I thought I was just tired."

She lifted an eyebrow.

"Though there was a headache."

She crossed her arms.

"And I felt really cold."

"You just listed three reasons why you should've walked into the infirmary, not been carried in."

"It won't happen again, Doc," Jack promised, hoping he was telling the truth.

Her expression was skeptical but there was a trace of a smile. "I won't hold my breath." Fraiser looked across the bed at Daniel. "You can stay for fifteen more minutes, then you need to let him rest."

Daniel looked like he was about to argue, but quickly regained his senses and meekly nodded. 

Fraiser shot one last glare at each of them before withdrawing.

Daniel fell into the chair next to Jack's bed with a sigh.

"You'd better watch the clock; you don't want to go over your time limit," Jack said.

"Wish I was carrying a stopwatch," Daniel admitted, chagrinned.

Jack tried to fight against the pull of gravity on his eyelids. He'd already slept for two whole days, for crying out loud. But it didn't seem to matter to his body—it was still exhausted. He finally succumbed to the struggle when he heard Daniel whisper, "At ease, soldier; we have your back."

Jack let go, knowing his friends and his world was safe for now.

He'd work on getting Fraiser to free him tomorrow.


End file.
